Sugary Sweet Jealousy
by NobleBrokenBeauty
Summary: Lela was expecting to come home to the family she had left two years ago, not an ignorant brother, a new evil niece, and a whole web of lies. But, hey, someone's got to live this crazy Robinson life, right?
1. The Return

**A/N: Here's my new story, featuring Mi Mi's OC, Morgan. A huge thanks to her for letting use Morgan! I don't own MTR, although I wish I did, but I only own Lela and any inventions unrecognizable to y'all. Please review!**

* * *

In somehow, in some way, they always found a way to trace it back to me. What had _I_ really done? Okay, so, maybe some of the times it really was me. Sometimes it was the people who hated me.

Sometimes it was just an accident.

But most of the time it was Wilbur.

But the thing I did that brought me to this dumb boarding school in the first place was _all_ me.

* * *

_"You're not seriously going to go through with this, are you, Lela?" __Drenna__, my friend, asked me nervously, tugging on her black hair like she always did when she was scared. I scoffed and readied myself._

_"Please, __Dren__, this is easy compared to everything else I've done," I giggled, checking over the edge for Missy again. _

_The girl__, Missy,__ had gone too far this time, taking my homework from straight in front of my face, ripping it to shreds,__ and then did__ the same to her own, blaming it all on me. At lunch, she__ dumped my food all over my brand new shirt and then poured water over my head. She stood there like a perfect angel with her curly brown hair while I was seething and staring back angrily with wet blonde hair in my eyes. The teachers didn't even look at her twice._

_But it was payback time now._

_I saw the nine year old who had completely ruined my morning come prancing out of the cafeteria doors, right under where I was sitting. __Drenna__ and I were perched on the roof above the cafeteria._

_This would be perfect!_

_I took the tray of food __I had grabbed from the lunch room __and steadied it over Missy's head__. With a deep breath, I__ dropped it. The resounding crash and sh__r__ill scream was music to my ears. But it hadn't been the scream I was expecting. I looked down to see my target hit, but my eyes widened. I had not hit Missy. I had hit the girl – woman – behind her._

_The principal._

_"LELA ROBINSON AND ADRENNA KIRST, GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" our principal, Mrs. __Toftlin__, roared__ at the top of her lungs, covered in sticky red sauce. __Drenna__ and I gave each other scared look and ran in the other direction._

_"We __gotta__ jump, __Dren__!" I hissed at her, partly facing the front of the school._

_"WHAT?!"__Drenna__ screeched, backing away from the edge._

_"Just jump!" I pushed her off and followed._

_"Bend your knees and roll when you land!" I yelled as the ground came nearer and nearer. We both did as I directed and stood up safely._

_"Well, I gained us some__time, right?" I grinned, dusting myself off. __Drenna__ didn't say anything, but pointed behind me._

_"What? Who is it?" I asked sarcastically, but felt a strong hand grip my shoulder. It was sad to say I knew that grip too well._

_"Hi, Daddy…"_

_Before I turned, I hissed in __Drenna's__ direction__, "Run. __Now!"_

_Drenna__ hesitated, but I shooed her off.__She hadn't done anything. She didn't need to get in trouble._

_It was __all my__ fault._

_I turned around to see my mother and father__ glaring, their stares burning holes straight through me._

_"Hey, Mom.__ What brings you here? To my school…"_

_"Well, they _were_ here to talk about your brothe__r who thought it would be funny to paint my office hot pink__, but seeing what you've just done, Miss Robinson, I think your brother is off the hook. __My office.__Now."__ Mrs. __Toftlin__ had appeared behind us. I was surrounded._

_And dead meat._

* * *

_"Please come right in, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. Lela, we will be with you shortly." As soon as Mrs. __Toftlin's__ office door closed, I stuck my tongue out at it. This day could not get any worse._

_"Hey, would you look at that? Someone I know!" A voice called out from the other side of the room. "What are you in for, sis?"_

_I looked up. "Wilbur!"_

_He grinned and made his way over to me. He sat next to me on the hard wooden bench they tried to torture children with before they went into see the principal._

_"Like brother, like sister," he punched me lightly._

_"Isn't the saying, 'like father, like daughter'?" I wondered aloud._

_"I think my way works better," he smirked._

_I wasn't __gonna__ argue with that._

_"So, what did __ol' __Tofty__ get you for this time? Cheating? __Vandalism?"_

_I was __appalled __that__ my own brother actually thought I would do either of those things, but then realized that he was kidding._

_"No… I kind of… well, I tried to…"_

_"Just spit it out already," Wilbur rolled his eyes and folded his arms. I saw bright pink paint stains on his hands._

_"Okay! I was on the roof with __Drenna__ and we were __gonna__ dump food on Missy, but then when I tried to, the plate landed on Mrs. __Toftlin__. We jumped off the roof then and tried to run, but Mom and Dad were there… and then I was caught," I ended not-so-dramatically._

_After a brief silence, Wilbur spoke. "Wow."_

_I sighed and buried my head in my arms. What was I going to talk myself out of _this_ one?_

_"Miss Robinson, if you please…"__ Mrs. __Toftlin__ opened her office door and beckoned me almost forebodingly inside. Hanging my head, I made my way to the door, looking as pitiful as possible. _

_Entering, I was almost blinded by the neon pink in the room. Lying of the desk, I saw Laszlo's paint gun. Grinning inwardly, I officially, absolutely, and positively loved my brother._

_"Sit." Mrs. __Toftlin__ pointed to a seat between my mother and father, killing my joy. __The execution chair._

_"Miss Robinson, your parents and I have decided that it would be best if you did not attend this school any longer."_

_My head snapped up and my jaw dropped. Was I being _expelled?

_"You show no concern for the rules of this school. Jumping off buildings, talking back in class, __**dumping food o**__**f**__**f the roof**__, I simply can't put up with it anymore. No disciplinary action seems to get the message through your head. This new school will be_ much_ better for you."_

_I opened my mouth to protest, but Mrs. __Toftlin__ held up her hand, silencing me._

_"It has already been decided. You will begin at __Prestin__ Lake Academy next week__. It is located in Seattle and is a boarding school for gifted children. I'm sure you'll fit in just fine."_

_Mrs. __Toftlin__ gave us a strained smile, which was surely fake._

_"That will be all. Thank you for your time, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson."_

_I tore out of there as fast as my nine-year-old self could handle. _

_**Seattle?!**_

_That was all the way on the west coast of the states!! And it was a boarding school... which meant…_

_"Lela, you survived! How'd it go? Did you get off?" Wilbur asked, standing up._

_I ran the rest of the way up to Wilbur and hugged him tight, never wanting to let go._

_"They're sending me away, Wilbur. Please, don't let them do it. Please, don't let them make me go!" I was on the verge of tears._

_Even not knowing what was going on, Wilbur comforted me and gently patted me on the back. "It's __gonna__ be okay. Don't worry, Lela, everything is going to be fine. I won't let them take you away." Wilbur's voice was soft and soothing._

_If only I had heard the lies then._

_Evidently, the day _had _gotten worse._

Well, I kind of deserved that. I'll admit it. And after two whole years of Prestin Lake Academy, I'm ready to come back home, because they sent me to the worst school in the world.

My father said it would "improve my intellect." My mother said I would have fun and get to know friends my age. The rest of my family said they would miss me and they hoped I would come back soon. But the only person who seemed like he meant it was Wilbur.

I had missed him so much it was almost unbearable. He wasn't there to protect me anymore. He wasn't there to comfort me when I needed help.

Both my mother and father had been wrong. I had not made any new friends (I was the spoiled, "Robinson stunt girl"). Nor had my "intellect" grown. Sure I knew more about life, but had learned nothing in studies.

The work wasn't what was hard. They just streamed the information through glasses, Tech Teachers, obviously a prototype of my father's. My father had almost stopped making inventions because the time machine had suddenly caused a huge ripple in the time stream, and made Wilbur and I sick because… well, we were the cause of it.

Robinson Industries were doing major research and reports on the time stream and had ceased all invention producing. I wondered if that was the only reason I got into this school in the first place; to get publicity so they could say a Robinson child had gone to their school.

The headmistress, Dr. Carlisle, was the one who seemed to be watching me the most. She was pompous and had a strong British accent, with her nose straight up in the air. She never gave me one kind smile.

Maybe my parents had told her to watch me closely, or maybe I was just being paranoid, but something was off about that woman. It felt weird to walk around campus with half the teachers staring after me.

The part that seriously bugged me about the school was because all the girls thought the world revolved around them and all the boys didn't notice if I tripped them or slapped them in the face – no one paid any attention to me. And I hated that. The kids, aged eight to eighteen, were adults trapped in tiny little bodies, I could swear it. I was the only one who acted normal! Or somewhat normal, considering what the rest of my family acted like and had taught me to copy.

But all that mattered now was that I'm back with my family. I only just hope they missed me.

* * *

"CARL!" I squealed, running up to my favorite robot and hugging him. I was finally going home.

"Hey, little buddy! I haven't seen you in forever!" He looked me up and down. It had been two full years since I had seen any of my family. Two, straight, prison-like years. "You look so different!"

I flipped my blonde hair behind my shoulder. I had grown. But I still felt lonely.

"Thanks, Carl. Where's Wilbur?" I asked, cocking my head. If anyone would be here to pick me up, I would have thought it would have been him.

"Oh, he's babysitting."

I stifled a laugh. "Babysitting? _Wilbur_? Is this the same boy we're talking about?"

"Yup, the one who nearly destroyed the world three years ago and took you and him with it." Carl smiled. "But come on. He's babysitting someone I want you to meet. You and Candy will be great friends."

Candy? Did he just say candy? How was I supposed to become friends with candy? And I had thought my family couldn't get anymore insane…

While flying home, I watched the prison-like-school disappear behind me. I was finally free and I never wanted to see it again.

Had I really been this cut off from the world? Everything seemed so different and new. I missed everything that had happened.

"So, how's everyone? Anyone change, leave, arrive… miss me?" I added as an afterthought. Carl reached over and ruffled my hair.

"'Course we missed you! The Robinson house wasn't the same without Little Miss Risk around."

Oh, how I had missed that nickname. I had missed the rush of adrenaline when pulling all of the stunts. I had been put under close watch at the school, by request of my parents. What would I do when I got home…?

After an hour, I finally saw the horizon line of Todayland. My house gleamed in the distance and I could hear it calling me back home. My grin widened as it came closer and closer.

"Welcome home, Lela," Carl opened up the top of the hovercar and I jumped out, excitedly running up to the front door.

I quickly pressed both doorbells.

Lefty opened the door with a moan of surprise.

"I missed you, too, Lefty!" I galloped inside, seeing my home for the first time in two years. My chest swelled with joy.

Coming around the corner, I jumped at what was waiting for me.

"SURPRISE!"

The entirety of my family was standing there in the main foyer. My face transformed from shock to pure elation.

"Welcome home, sweetie," my mother gathered me in a hug. "We missed you so much!"

Just hearing those words made my cheeks hurt from a huge grin. My father placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Daddy!" I squealed and leapt into his arms, laughing with joy.

"It's good to have you back, Lela," he whispered into my ear.

"It's good to be back."

Setting me down on the ground, my father stepped back to let everyone else welcome me back home. I had not felt this happy, this fantastic in a long time – ever.

"Hey," I suddenly realized, "where's Wilbur?"

Everyone looked around.

"I told him and Candy to come down twenty minutes ago. Where can they be?" Franny looked at Cornelius, who shrugged. Who was Candy?

Just then, a girl with curly red hair and a scar on her forehead in the shape of an 'M' came speeding down the stairs with Wilbur at her heels.

"Candy! Morgan, come on, give it back!" Wilbur yelled.

The two kids suddenly stopped when they saw the entire family staring up at them.

"Hi, guys. What's up?"

Well, Wilbur hadn't changed one bit. Was the redhead Candy?

My mom pointed in my direction and raised her eyebrows. Wilbur's eyes widened and he smiled.

"Lela!"

Wilbur grabbed the redhead's arm and led her down the rest of the stairs. I tried to keep the strained smile on my face.

"Lela, I'm so happy you're back! This is Morgan, or you can call her Candy. She's helped me put up with the insanity in this house since you left."

Morgan gave a wave. "It's great to finally meet you, Lela. Wilbur's told me lots about you."

I grinned falsely back. "Nice to meet you too, Morgan."

Morgan then looked at her fist and realized she still held whatever it was that she had taken of Wilbur's. She half-giggled and ran off. Wilbur groaned and ran after her, not even stopping to give me a hug.

My grin faded as their backs turned, replaced by a look of pure loathing.

This girl had _taken_ _my_ **_place_**.

* * *

**A/N: Lela's a little jealous, isn't she? Well, after two years of not seeing your family and your brother who you thought would be very excited to see you completely ditches you, you'd be just as angry too. :D Please review and tell me what you thought!**


	2. At War

**A/N: Second chapter! Whoo! :D Please R&R!**

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I watched the two playing outside with Tiny, roaring gleefully. I had not even talk to my brother more than two words this morning. Who knew I would be this upset?

"Honey, could you get Wilbur and Morgan for me? It's dinnertime." My mom looked at me thoughtfully and smiled.

"What?" I asked, halfway out the door. She shook her head and beckoned me back towards her. Slowly, I did so and she enveloped me in another bear hug.

"You're growing up so fast," she whispered. "Sometimes I wished we hadn't sent you to that school. Your father and I both."

At this I had to smile. At least someone noticed me gone. They really cared. At least what happened with Lewis three years ago was worth something and wasn't in vain… in my cause, at least.

"Now go and get your brother and niece," she said, pointing me towards the door. "Dinner's going to get cold."

I started to head back out, but then the words the she had just said hit my brain on full impact. "I'm sorry… _niece_?"

Franny looked back at me with confusion in her eyes. "Yes, Morgan is your niece, sweetheart. We adopted Michael and he adopted Candy. Didn't Wilbur tell you this?"

I shook my head slowly no. For some reason, her face brightened.

"Well, you'll just have to get to know her then, won't you?"

As if.

I put on a bright smile, too bright to be genuine, and replied, "Of course! But why exactly did you adopt the dude who erased Wilbur and me? And where is he?"

"Oh, I'll tell you later, Lela."

Way to go keeping secrets around here, Mom.

I stepped outside and called to the two who were having _so_ much fun without me.

"Wilbur! Mora! Time for dinner!" I yelled across the lawn. The two came racing forward. Morgan stopped in front of my feet, looking down at me like I was a little girl. I was _eleven_.

"My name's Morgan, you know," she said in a perky voice as Wilbur left. Hiding my smirk, there was no one left to protect little Candy now. My innocence faded.

"I know that, Mary." I turned on my heel, whacking her in the face with my ponytail, and slammed the door behind me. Self locking, the door wouldn't open for her unless someone was kind enough to help out. But everyone would think Morgan was in the bathroom… if I told them that.

Maybe that would teach her a lesson.

* * *

Or maybe not. My dad had evidently lent her a key a long time ago and she came rushing up behind me twenty seconds later, bending down to whisper in my ear, "Nice try, but I was nine and jealous once, too. Deal with it. Your brother found someone new." She traipsed ahead of me with an oh-so-innocent grin on her face.

_I was eleven!_

My nails dug into the palms of my hands, but I managed to glue my mouth shut until she was out of earshot. I seated myself in my old place at the long dinner table, the seat next to the head. I couldn't have chosen a worse person to sit next to on my right side.

Wilbur used to sit there. That was Wilbur's spot! But, no, torture just had to be inflicted on me even more. I had watch the two laugh and tell jokes to each other while I sat there and nearly gagged on my food.

"So, Lela honey," my mother began, taking my attention finally away from the poisoned Candy, "what did you learn at PLA? I've been wanting to hear all about it."

"Oh," I replied, putting down my fork, "loads of stuff."

_Like how I'm never going to drop a plate of food on my principal again._

"That's good," my father put in, "even though the Tech Teachers broke down."

Whoa, wait. Broke down? We had always used that prototype. The entire school had sets and sets of them and there were no reported malfunctions. Before I could get a question in, the next subject had already been taken up.

Food fights.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Morgan swipe a handful of food from her plate, pull back her arm, and…

I ducked quickly so that the food made for my face went whizzing past my head and splattered all over my parents.

I tried desperately to keep the grin off my face from Morgan's horrified shock. She had missed her target by miles.

The war was officially on.

* * *

**A/N: Short and sweet. I didn't feel like adding any more to this chapter. It seemed perfect the way it was. Has anyone else noticed that Lela is truly _incredibly_ self-centered? I guess that's why she's so fun to write. :D Please review and tell me what you thought!**


	3. How You Play The Game

**A/N: Thanks to Robin, Mi Mi, Jessie, and of course, Chiho for reviewing the last chapter. It really means a lot :D. I don't own Meet the Robinsons, Morgan, or really anything in this story… that's depressing… except the little rambunctious Lela who is seriously getting ready to get back at Morgan right now. Anyways, onto the chapter!**

* * *

I tried. I really, truly and deeply tried. But it was too much. The looks on their faces were just too priceless to hold it in any longer. I started to laugh, soft at first, but then louder and louder. Laughing so hard, I didn't notice that my parents were advancing on me with food held in their hands, Wilbur and Morgan looking on with suspenseful eagerness.

I screamed when I felt the gravy go down the back of my shirt.

After that, it was every man for himself – or herself. I skittered under the table, took a hot dog and stuffed it up Wilbur's straight pant leg. He yelped and jumped back. I threw my head back and giggled silently, rushing away from that spot and standing up, so that when Wilbur looked under the table, there was no one there to blame it on. I watched him shake his leg, but the hot dog wouldn't come out. I shook with suppressed laughter and watched him hop around on one foot. Morgan snuck up behind him and dumped a plate of who-knows-what food on his head, jumping back at the fury on his face.

"You are so dead, Morgan," Wilbur smirked, wiping off the food and throwing it on to the ground angrily.

"I know," she grinned back, getting ready to run, "but it's worth it."

The grin faded off my face. I had heard those words before. Three years ago, on the orphanage rooftop. The last time I had seen Lewis and the first time my life had changed. But Wilbur had been my friend then. That ride home was something I'd never forget. Dazed into a sudden shock, I sat down in one of the chairs, reliving that day. That very fateful day…

* * *

_"I'll miss him," I said, gazing out the window at the orphanage rooftop. I turned to Wilbur who was focused on doing flips in the air with the time machine before we left 2007. "Won't you?"_

_I pressed my nose against the window. Lewis was pulling the red wagon along behind him with the repaired Memory Scanner placed in a cardboard box. He gave one last look at the sky – _

_And Wilbur turned the time machine upside down. I shrieked and whacked my head against the glass roof._

_"What was that for? I squeaked, rubbing my head, and climbed back into my seat, finally buckling my seat belt._

_"Just look at what I wrote," Wilbur jerked his head in that direction. I strained to see over the window's glare and saw the words:_

_SEE YA LATER, DAD_

_I smiled, instantly forgiving Wilbur for the unexpected twist and making me bruise my head._

_"Are you going to come back and visit him?" I said, almost already knowing the answer. He turned his head slightly and gave me a cheeky grin. My guess had been right._

_"When you do, can I come? Please?" I gave him irresistible puppy dog eyes and his grin widened._

_"Of course you can! But you can't mess up the time stream, because that would just be unforgivable and terrible, now, wouldn't it?"_

_I rolled my eyes and gave him a playful smack on his arm. "No, I won't mess anything up. Only people who have no idea what they're doing mess up the time stream," I giggled, watching Wilbur realize what I had said – even though he had laughed along with me at first. _

_"Relax, I'm just kidding. I trust you, Wilbur," I said, resting my head in my hands. "You're the one person who ever paid any attention to me. __Except when I did the stunts."_

_For a moment, Wilbur was speechless, but then replied, "I always wondered why you did those stunts. But now I'm sorry I never asked. Was it really for attention?"_

_I had never heard Wilbur's voice sound this guilty. I wrung my hands, but nodded slowly. __"Big family – little girl.__ You do the math. Everyone had something else to do, especially Dad. You have no idea what I felt when I found out Lewis was Dad in 2007. He paid attention to me, just like you did. I didn't want him to leave."_

_Wilbur stared blankly outside at the 2037 horizon line. He replied, "We'll see him again, don't worry. And just remember – Dad is Lewis. It'll be like he never left."_

_"But Wilbur," I said, twisting my hair around my finger, "they're like two different people. Lewis and Dad – somehow, I just don't see the connection… the similarities. I mean, if he knew this whole thing was going to happen all along, will he really change?"_

_Wilbur sighed, landing softly on the concrete in front of the garage. "Well, just remember, Lela, no matter how bad family life gets, I'll always be here for you."_

_I smiled, getting ready to jump out of the time machine and prepare for punishment. "Okay, I'll remember that. Thanks, Wilbur." A warm glow led me up to the front door of my house. He had promised._

* * *

My eyes grew stony. He had promised back then, the promise had been broken. The past had been relived as a terror. Rage made its way in, forcing my gaze to find Morgan. It was truly all her fault. She was the one to be blamed for all of this – this torture I had been put through by being ignored by my brother since I had arrived back home. And she was going to pay.

Taking an empty plate from the table I made my way over to where Morgan and Wilbur stood, I aimed the plate right at her head. I pulled my arm back and fired. Not only did I not really expect the plate to hit Morgan in the back of the head dead on, but I did not expect her to scream so ear-piercingly _loud_. She swiveled around and glared my directly in the eyes.

"What the – what was that for?" she shrieked at me, pulling more food off the table.

"I think you know," I snapped back, not retreating when she advanced on me with another plate filled with food. Wilbur watched the two of us in frozen horror, not really sure what to do. I didn't care.

I could deal with Candy on my own.

"Fine then," she grinned like she was enjoying our little showdown. "Let the game begin."

In a blur, we attacked each other with such ferociousness I had never seen in myself before. But it didn't last long. After Candy dumped the rest of the food on my head – _on my __**hair**__ that I had spent so long doing this morning_ – I clawed at her face, leaving a long, bleeding scrape along her jaw. Before she could get another kick or hit at me, I felt someone pull me away. I squirmed and lashed out, but the grip stayed strong.

I looked back and saw both Carl and my father pulling me away from Morgan. Wilbur and my mother had a hold on Morgan's shoulders. Her face was red with anger, hair out of place, tonight's dinner covering her entirely, and the cut I had given her bleeding freely.

I must have looked no better, screaming, shoulders heaving, and being dragged away by my father and a robot. It really wasn't the best way to end the night.

Finally, somehow, Carl and Dad got me back out the door and out into the hallway. They quickly ushered me under a travel tube, without saying one word and both keeping a tight grasp on my shoulders. They were afraid I would run off and try to kill Morgan. I wasn't going to even rule out that possibility.

We arrived in the lab and my dad sat me on a chair. This was not going to be pretty.

"Okay, little lady," Cornelius looked down at me with a steely glare etched in his eyes, Carl standing behind him with the same look. "What _in the world_ is going on with you?"

**

* * *

**

A/N: Can you say, "Not good at all for little Lela?" We'll just see how she confesses (or doesn't confess) in chapter four. Please review and tell me what you thought! And Mi Mi, if I'm not getting Morgan's character right (I've been reading MTRP2 over and over again), tell me!

**Thanks all!**


	4. Sabotage Undetected

**A/N: Thanks to Chi, Mi Mi, and Robin for reviewing the last chapter! Regular saying applies here, no ownage of Meet the Robinsons or Morgan, I only own Lela, blah, blah, blah… :D Here's the chapter!**

* * *

I looked up at him innocently. What was I going to say, "Well, you see, I really hate Morgan because she took my place here so I wanted to get back at her by smacking her in the head with a ceramic plate. My own brother doesn't notice I'm back so I'm taking revenge on my niece because it's all her fault"?

That would be an interesting conversation afterwards. Instead of purposely exclaiming I was guilty, I did what any normal kid would say to avoid getting in trouble.

"Nothin'." I hung my head and swung my legs, looking as though I was very interested in counting the tiles on the floor. I heard him chuckle unbelievingly. This was definitely going to be a lot harder than I thought.

"Now, come on, I know it's not that simple," Cornelius said, walking closer, with an all-knowing gleam in his eyes. He probably knew what I was going to say anyways. For all I knew, he could have been to this exact moment in time in his life already. "It's never that simple with you."

I tapped my fingers on my legs impatiently, trying to decide whether to confide in him or not. Interrupting my decision, a young man came bursting through the door with papers and papers in his arms. The poor guy looked like he was going to fall over under all of that weight.

"Mister – Mr. Robinson, sir, I have a report from Prestin Lake Academy and from the TMI lab down in the city. The Tech Teachers seem to be working again."

Working _again_? How oblivious were these people? They had never stopped working in the first place! Before I could open my mouth to object, the man hastily continued.

"And from the TMI lab, there seems to be an odd occurrence with the research done on the time stream. It went everywhere last night, almost breaking down our system. We thought you should see it."

The young man looked tired and overworked, but certainly eager to get this news to my dad. He looked like he hadn't shaven in many days, with dark red hair messy and unkempt. There were circles under his alight eyes and his eyelids drooped slightly as he set the reports down.

"Okay, Arthur, I'll be down to the office as quick as I can. Right now I'm finishing up a little talk with my daughter. Lela, this is Arthur Larson. He heads the TMI section of Robinson industries."

The TMI section, of course. The Time Management Industry part of the Robinson business was opened right after Wilbur had ruined and saved the space-time continuum, just to be sure nothing was going to go too wrong in the aftermath, if there even was a consequence to Wilbur's actions.

"And you said something about Prestin Lake, as well, Arthur? What was it?"

He looked slightly flustered for a moment, but continued to repeat what he had said earlier. "The Tech Teachers at the academy seem to be working now. It was sort of a freak thing – some students just heard theirs working in their dorm room and told Headmistress Carlisle."

Mr. Larson shot a fleeting glance at me, almost _threatening_ if I had interpreted it right. It sent a sharp chill down my spine, and I closed my mouth quickly.

Cornelius nodded, giving a brief smile to Mr. Larson. "Thank you, Arthur. I'll be down at the labs as soon as I can. But right now…"

He turned back to me. Mr. Larson made his way over to one of the larger inventions and started to type the data into it. He seemed shifty, but if he worked for my father, I could trust him.

I was thinking grounded, two weeks minimum, no game systems, chargeball, or really any digital entertainment of any kind. He was just about to confirm my thoughts when a police-like alarm went off, making me quickly put my hands over my ears, making Carl short-circuit, and making my father rush over to where Mr. Larson was standing, confused and shaken.

I quickly stood up and pressed Carl's reset button. He rattled and his eyes began to glow blue again.

"What was that?" I asked loudly enough for Cornelius to hear me. He didn't turn around, but waved his hand at Carl.

"Uh, I'll be downstairs to talk with you soon, Lela. Carl, could you bring her back down there, please? I've got a bit of work to do."

So maybe being the little one in the family finally paid off. I grinned as Carl rolled his eyes and steered me back over to the travel tube. We landed in the garage where I could finally be at peace.

"That was the easiest thing I've ever done! The machine goes crazy, and I get off! Hmmm… maybe when I get in trouble now, I should sabotage those machines." I shot my fist into the air happily. Carl looked at me with a somewhat reprimanding glare. "What?"

"You nearly knock out Candy and you're happy about it because you're not getting punished for it?" he asked, raising his metallic eyebrows.

I glared back. "Well, when you say it that way…"

"It sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Well, it _is_ bad, Lela! You don't realize how much more you could have hurt her! You don't realize how much she's been through! You don't get –"

"Carl!" I shut him up. "I don't care. Do you think she realizes how much _I've_ been though? For the first nine years of my life, my family ignored me. For the last two, I hadn't even talked to them once. And now I'm home and I'm welcome, but my own brother doesn't notice I'm there because of her. Do you think she knows any of that?" I snapped back.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Wilbur told her," he said with a certain amount of haughtiness.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't." I walked over to the garage door and made a jump to press the button to open it, but Carl caught my hand.

"Come on, Lela, you've just got to give her a chance. Get to know her," he made an attempt at a smile which I didn't return.

"Have you seen her try to do that with me?"

"Ah…" Carl raised one finger excitedly, his face then fell. "No…"

"Exactly," I gave one brief nod and pushed the button opening the garage door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go destroy her room or something like that."

He sighed behind me. "Just remember, Lela! Karma always comes back to haunt you!"

I waved my hand behind me. "Whatever," I muttered under my breath. My only mission now was to find and sabotage Candy's room… but first I had to find it.

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**A/N: Okay, I officially love writing Carl! He's awesome! Please review and tell me what you thought!**


	5. Unwanted

**A/N: Wow, I'm getting through these chapters really quick, aren't I? I'm havin' fun writing it. :D Thanks to Robin, Mi Mi, and Chi for review the last chap!**

**MTR-Disney, not mine**

**Unwanted- Avril Lavigne, not mine**

**Morgan- Mi Mi's, not mine**

**Anyways, here's the chapter!**

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I skittered around the house, opening door after door. The never ending hallways seemed like eternity. I was afraid if I took the travel tubes I would miss her room. But if Wilbur had been so "lonely" without me, maybe he would have installed a travel tube to straight outside her door.

It was worth a try. I pranced through another two floors to reach Wilbur's room. Finding the door, I looked around, but I remembered something very important.

My gut clenched: the travel tube was inside. Desperately hoping that Wilbur and Morgan weren't in his room, I pressed my ear against the door. Breathing softly, I heard a strum of a guitar and a girl's voice singing. Unless Wilbur now listened to music, I knew who was on the other side of this door.

Morgan.

I listened for a while, surprised at what a pretty voice she had.

_All they did was walk over_

_Start off by shaking your hands_

_That's how it went_

_I had a smile on my face and I sat up straight_

_Oh, yeah, yeah_

_I wanted to know you_

_I wanted to show you_

_You don't know me_

_Don't ignore me_

_You don't want me there_

_You just shut me out_

_You don't know me_

_Don't ignore me_

_If you had your way_

_You'd just shut me up_

_Make me go away_

_No, I just don't understand why __you won't talk to me_

_It hurts that I'm so unwanted for nothing_

_Don't talk words against me_

_I wanted to know you_

_I wanted to show you…_

I stopped listening. It was like she somehow knew I was on the other side of the wall, just waiting there to sneak in. I really hoped she didn't. Really, really hoped.

That didn't meant the song's meaning didn't pertain to me, though.

The guitar strummed again and I poked my head through the door. Morgan and Wilbur's were sitting on Wilbur's bed, with sheet music spread out before them. Neither of them looked up when the door squeaked. I breathed out. The travel tube was just inches away. I only needed to get a few steps farther…

Suddenly, the music became loud, making me jump and almost knock over the lamp. It gave a resounding clang, but I was too quick for it. I leapt toward the travel tube and was sucked away. Whether the two had seen me or not… I'd never know. It was my only sure chance of getting to Morgan's room.

But one thing that had turned out good: I was here. I could tell. Morgan's door was larger than the rest in the house, modeled slightly differently, and was covered in pictures. I laid my hand on the gold handle and pushed it open. Not only did the door squeal when opened, but I did too.

The room almost _blinded_ me.

Every inch of the room was covered in bright, hot pink, very much like the color Mrs. Toftlin's office and Wilbur's hands had been when he had thought it funny to paint it back then. My throat closed for a brief moment and I stood there, half out of it, remembering that day sadly. I shook my hair back out of my face, clearing my thought. I couldn't dwell in the past.

Keep moving forward.

Well, that was easy, seeing as I quickly grabbed the scissors and snapped them in my hands. I took one end and slit the covers down the middle. I poked holes in the pillows, drew on the floor with permanent marker, ripped off the pictures on the inside of the door, and pulled out every single item from the drawers and threw it on the ground.

Wow, it sure felt good to vent my anger.

I put the scissors back where I found them and traipsed out of the room. This felt way better than I thought it would. I gently closed the door behind me and made sure everything on the outside looked exactly the same.

I found the travel tube down the hall that would take me back to my own room. I just couldn't wipe the grin oof my face. Of course I had a reason, but I couldn't go blurting it out to everyone.

No one would ever know it was me.

* * *

I couldn't have been more wrong.

I stood at the front of my room in the doorway, seething with anger. Evidently they had heard me in Wilbur's room and they had seen me and gotten revenge because my room was unrecognizable.

I let out a single shrill scream.

"DADDY!"

"You don't have to scream so loud, Lela. I'm right here."

Slowly I turned around to face my father, glaring at me with his arms crossed. "Care to explain?"

I gave a surprised, offended little gasp. "Explain _what_? How a tornado hit my room?!" I whimpered, walking inside the disaster area.

Every single last thing had been rearranged in my room. The bed was flipped over, curtains were on the floor, the mirror was _broken_, clothes shredded and dumped on the ground, and covers drawn on. This was worse than what I had done!

"No, explain why Morgan's room looked like the _same_ tornado hit it," he raised one eyebrow and I felt myself grow red – not in embarrassment, in anger.

Morgan stepped out from behind Cornelius, looking incredibly pleased with herself. My jaw dropped. That little tattletale!

"I was going to have Carl clean up the mess in Morgan's room, but I think I know someone else who will clean it even better, with their hands; none of my inventions allowed."

I hung my head, knowing what was to come. It was at least good while it lasted.

"Lela, you will spend the rest of this afternoon cleaning Morgan's room. Morgan, _you_ will clean Lela's."

Morgan and I swapped expressions. Shock grew on Morgan's freckly face and a cheeky grin grew on mine. Karma, karma… maybe Carl should have told _her_ about that.

"But… but… Grandpa, she destroyed my room! She should have to clean both!" Morgan pouted, but Cornelius stood, unaffected by her puppy dog eyes.

"Lela only destroyed one," he said, giving me another reprimanding glare, "and you destroyed the other. You will clean up and _pay_ for anything broken." His gaze travelled to the shattered mirror. "Okay. To your disaster areas. Now," Cornelius demanded in a voice neither of us were going to even try to disobey.

"And when you're finished, come to the lab. I've got a few things I want to say to you girls," he called behind me as I walked to my designated travel tube. I felt him watch every step I took until I turned and was sucked up the travel tube.

As I turned, I caught his disappointed glare, giving me the chills and making my stomach drop in guilt. He had just been so proud of me for coming back home, for being here. And now I had probably ruined all of that for myself.

And for the next five hours that I cleaned up Morgan's room, that was all I could think about.

Guilt. Guilt. Shame. More guilt. What had I done?

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A/N: What _has_ Lela done? Totally destroyed her father's confidence in her, that's what she's done. Please review!


	6. I Hate You and You and You

**A/N: New chap comin' at ya! Thanks to Robin, Mi Mi, and Chi for reviewing. Don't own anything, 'cept Lela and Arthur Larson. Here we go!**

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I stumbled along the hallways up to my father's lab. My mind was consumed with guilt. Had I really ruined everything, or was I just being paranoid? I didn't want to find out. I just wanted things to be back the way they were when Wilbur was there for me, even if the rest of my family wasn't. I swallowed the lump in my throat over and over again, and yet it would not leave me alone. I refused to let tears come to my eyes.

I stomped my foot angrily and ran the rest of the way up to the lab. I wasn't going to deal with this now. I had bigger problems, like how the heck I was going to get out of punishment or how to tear Wilbur away from Morgan. She must have been still working on my room. It had been worse than what I had done, and that was definitely saying something.

I sprinted up the stairs, but slipped on one of the steps. I was sent backwards down the steps, making a loud _crash_ when I landed, sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. I lay there for a few seconds just listening and waiting: just trying to figure out of anyone had heard me. I came to the conclusion that no one had and stood up, making my way up the staircase yet again.

I opened the silver doors to the lab quietly and slunk into view. However, no one was there.

"Hello?" I called out. "Hello? Is anyone in here?" No one responded to me, but I still wasn't sure. It felt as if someone was watching me. I looked around for a few minutes more, but saw nothing. Once I had thought I heard a shuffle behind one of the larger invention, but I reckoned I was just seeing and hearing things. A grin of relief appeared on my face.

"Daddy's lab all to myself, how awesome. Now which machine do I use to get myself out of trouble…?" I glanced around eagerly and saw the stack of reports lying on one of the chrome desks. My grin widened and I pranced over, leafing through the sheets and sheets of papers. I could only understand a little bit; it was all in science talk and really confusing.

_…the time stream continually flexes and bends, leaving a perilous foreseen event in its path. Some say that this cause was of the young son of Cornelius Robinson, because the time continuum was reversed and renovated many time in the space of two hours. Other say it is nothing, only something to be watched, but not dwelled upon__. One such person who pronounced this certain opinion was the Time Management head, Arth__ur Larson, who has repeatedly said:_

_"The time stream was a fluke, a mere one-shot catastrophe that will ever happen again. __The illness of Mr. Robinson's children, which was reported to be an effect of this ripple in the time stream, was simply conveniently timed. The children were perfectly healthy again in a matter of days. __We need to move on__, keep moving forward, and continue our research in other areas."_

_Larson has also put out to the public that he did not know that the Tech Teachers (a prototype from Robinson Industries, thousands and thousands used in schools across the globe) had never broken down. He had reported that there were malfunctions in many schools to Robinson Industries, and then corrected he had been informed wrong. Larson…_

The report went on to talk about Larson and how he had become who he was today. He had started in robotics and was presumed to have done several tests on himself with his robotics experiments. One malfunctioned, and he was taken off the job. Something had always been wrong with his experiments and tests, but he could never find out what. Even still my dad had moved him up to the head of the Time Management lab, and still trusted in him deeply. I scowled at the paper. How clueless could some people be? And my father _still_ thought the Tech Teachers had never stopped working?

Wasn't he supposed to be, like, a genius or something?

When your own eleven year old daughter can figure things out before you can, I thought to myself, you drop the rank of genius. Officially.

I sighed and placed the papers back in order. I took one out of the very center of the stack, gazing towards the doors just in case someone came in at that very second. On it said:

_**Robotics engineering: Test #43**_

_Robot 1314__M__R_

_Function disabled: Sound sensitivity_

_Effect: Sharp shrieking, fire, explosion_

_Outcome: Serious injuries to the head, arms__, troubled hearing_

_ABORT ALL EXPERIMENTS, WILL RECEIVE HELP_

The last sentence was hastily scrawled across the bottom of the page; I guessed it was in Mr. Larson's handwriting. But what did it all mean? A creak of the door made me jump three feet in the air and I scurried to put the paper back where it was supposed to go. As soon as I did do, someone entered the room.

I looked up expecting to see my father, with a seriously angered glare etched in his always-knowing blue eyes, towering over me, but saw a man with tired, green eyes and reddish brown hair, ruffled in every direction.

"Hello, Miss Lela," he smiled wearily, taking off the white lab coat covered in streaks of grey and black. Something had evidently exploded again at the lab in the city. "Your father says he'll be up shortly; he just has to check on Candy first."

I nodded in understanding, then cocked my head. "You've met Morgan?"

Mr. Larson grinned slyly. "I was the victim of one of Wilbur's pranks a year back, but it was meant to be Morgan. Your brother is sure something, isn't he?"

My kind smile faded, replaced with a blank look that could have easily been mistaken as anger: which Mr. Larson took it for.

"Do you not like your brother?" he asked gently, reading my thoughts. "The last time I heard from your father, the two of you were great friends."

"Keyword: were," I muttered under my breath, then replied to Mr. Larson, "We don't really… get along that much anymore, not after two years of being away. Morgan's sort of taken his mind of off me, but it's not that big of a deal…"

I was lying straight to his face. _Not that__ big of a __deal_, yeah, right. But I knew I would never tell anyone; only Carl could hear what I really thought. And what I really thought was even sometimes too foul to say out loud. I kept it bottled in and that was the way it was going to stay… until I eventually exploded.

That would be an interesting day. Inwardly rolling her eyes, Mr. Larson headed back towards the door.

"It was nice talking to you, Miss Lela. I hope you and your brother come to an understanding soon, before it is too late. Goodbye!"

He waved and headed out the door, and I smiled back, until his words hit me. Eyebrows furrowed and smile fading, I thought: '…before it is too late…'?

What was _that_ supposed to mean? That one of us was supposed to die in the next day? No matter how much I was upset at him right now, I couldn't even wish that. Maybe I was angry, but I wasn't deranged. The travel tube made a sucking noise and Morgan appeared out of it, sending me a sickly sweet smile that I downright refused to return.

"Grandpa's coming," Morgan spat bluntly, settling herself into a spinning chair.

"_My_ _dad _is coming, you mean," I shot back, crossing my arms tightly. Morgan fake-coughed.

"Right," she said sarcastically. I growled and balled my hands into fists.

"At least my brother didn't betray me," Morgan snapped under her breath. This was going too far. I leapt off the chair furiously.

"Are you saying my brother would go behind my back?" My rage was almost unable to hold in and I could feel my face growing redder and redder, almost matching the color of Morgan's curly hair. She merely sat calmly in her spot, watching my fury grow.

"You hit the bullseye." Her quick response made me stop in my tracks. She smirked.

"He told me he didn't care about you. He told me that he thought he was better off without you. He wanted you gone from the start. He thought you were a spoiled, selfish, little –" Her eyes flashed maliciously, but before she could finish verbally torturing me, my father _finally _appeared. I was on the brink of tears.

"You don't have to punish me, I'll do it myself. Grounded, two weeks, with no digital entertainment whatsoever. Good night," I had no luck swallowing the lump my throat this time and was in tears before I could even reach the travel tube.

I only had one stop to go to before I locked myself in my room for the rest of the night.

Wilbur's room.

I felt tears stream down my face and I banged on the door, venting sheer irritation.

"It's me! Open up!" I screamed, my voice cracking. The door quickly swung open and a very confused Wilbur stood in my path.

"Lela? Are you –" he began, but I cut in, not caring what excuse he had. I said the only three words that were running through my mind.

"I HATE YOU!"

I left him with that _pleasant_ thought, sight blurred and heart beating wildly, and made my way hastily back to my own room, where I cried into the soft pillows on my just-fixed bed. I went to bed without dinner that night, watching the hours go by through tears passing down my cheeks. I sobbed myself to sleep somehow and let dreams take me away.

I wanted it all to end…

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**A/N: Who knows how this is all gonna turn out? Well, I do :D. Please review and tell me what you thought!**


	7. While You Can

**A/N: So, I just learned the history of Lewis and Clark… and now I'll never be able to think of the name 'Lewis' the same way again.**

**Lewis, never take a carriage ride to Washington D.C., okay?**

**Anyways, I don't own anything, only Lela and Larson. Thanks to Robin, Mi Mi, tinkerbellia, Ember411, Chi, and Nausicaa for reviewing! Most reviewed chapter yet, thanks so much everyone!**

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I twisted and turned in my sleep, even though it was a dreamless night, I could sense something off. I lay on my back, eyes closed, half-awake. When nothing sounded, I knew it had to be nothing important. I took a deep breath, and scrunched my nose slightly. Something smelled funny, but I wondered if it was just my imagination. Half in dream land, it must have been.

I breathed deeply again and fell asleep, waiting for the sun to rise and the day to come. I was very soon gone, into a deep sleep.

_Voices whispered around me. "Lela, wake up… wake up…" I didn't want to wake up. I was so comfortable here in my bed. Wilbur and Morgan were practically miles away, on the other side of the house. There was peace._

_Something poked my shoulder. "Honey, what if the smoke already got to her?"_

_I heard something crackle and felt cold air on my face. There was a gasp, and a man said, "Give me the blanket; we'll take her outside. I still don't understand: what happened to the automatic sprinklers? Arthur helped me set them up __himself_

_I felt myself soar up, up, suddenly freezing cold, then warm again. Heat suddenly rushed past my face and I shifted slightly. I sniffed slightly and my eyes itched. Something freezing was placed over my nose and mouth._

_"Let's go before this whole house collapses. Everyone's out already, right?"_

_The arms that picked me up pulled me closer, tightening the grip cautiously. A woman's voice spoke._

_"Yeah, everyone but Lela.__ You can't wake that girl up with a bullhorn."_

_"I don't know, I think Wilbur came close once with one of Billie's trains."_

_"That was before he almost ran her over."_

_The talking continued, but everything seemed to blur. I wiggled again and coughed. I didn't like it up here. I wanted down. But my mind was working too slowly to register anything to the rest of my body._

_"We should…"_

_"Go!"_

_Footsteps echoed all around me. The louder and louder I coughed; the faster and faster the footsteps became. My chest began to ache and I screwed up my face, still covered with the freezing cloth, in an attempt to breathe easier._

_I was suddenly cold again, and was laid on the ground. Breathing suddenly came easier and I __calmed__ my nerves. I curled up into a little ball and sighed. Finally I was able to go to sleep._

_Soon as I was resting peacefully, no matter how unsure of where exactly I was, a voice screamed._

_"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"_

_What now?_

My head shot up and I saw my father give a glare to Aunt Petunia.

"Thanks for the support, Petunia."

Before I could ask exactly what happened, I was smothered with kisses from my mother.

"I'm so glad you're okay, sweetie! When your father and I saw you weren't out here, we were so worried! Are you okay? The smoke got pretty heavy. Are you having trouble breathing?"

"Yeah, kind of having trouble breathing here, Mom," I gasped in between her hugs. She pulled away quickly, worry outlining her young face.

"What?" she gasped, not exactly getting my point. Her brown eyes were wide and her hands gripped my shoulders tightly. The look of shock on her face almost made me laugh.

"She meant the hugs, hon. We got her out fast enough, don't worry," Cornelius smiled above me.

"What's going on?" I yawned, looking around. Shivering yet again, I saw myself sitting on by bed comforter outside on the ground. My family was crowded in front of me, backs facing me, looking at something over the hill. "I'm cold. I'm tired. And what am I doing out here?"

I almost immediately felt a warm jacket placed over my shoulders, dark blue and old-time army style. I was too exhausted to realize whose it was. The dew was still frozen on the lawn and day was just breaking, a red sun peeking over the horizon and bleeding into the sky, making an orange flare closer to us. It was then I realized – that was no red sun making the orange flame. That was fire.

"Oh my God! Our house is on fire!" I squeaked, eyes wide and voice sharp. I pulled her jacket closer around my shoulders, feeling a gust of wind bite through the air. Was everyone okay? Where was Wi – Carl? What about the time machines? Could I still be able to visit Lewis?

"Shh, shh, it's just the observatory. Everyone else is safe. You don't have to worry about a thing." His voice in my ear soothed me and I gently laid back down on my makeshift bed, again ready to sleep. My hair shifted over my closed eyes and I was silent, half in dreamland, half still aware of the burning fire and the two dozen firemen swarming into the giant Robinson mansion. Something told me it would take them a while to even find the observatory.

_What an odd night_, I thought to myself. Little did I know, the week would get so much weirder. Knowing my family…

It always did.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier. I came running when I heard the news. Is everyone okay?"

The new voice paused, then said, "Miss Lela, already asleep… she looks so peaceful."

A chill ran up my spine. I had a feeling an _enjoy__ it while you can_ was implied. All of a sudden, I wasn't so tired anymore.

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A/N: Another short chapter, I know, but I'm beginning to get writer's block again. Review anyone?


	8. An Apology or Four

**A/N: Chapter eight! Sorry this took me a while, I was working on my KH story. Anyways, as always, I don't own anything except the little verse in the middle of the chapter. I wrote that song for this chapter called "Downhill From Here." There's more of it, but I couldn't find a place to fit it in. Thanks so much to Robin, tinkerbellia, and Mi Mi for reviewing!**

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After another three hours of lying still on the cold front lawn of our house, I finally heard one of the firemen talk to my parents. I stilled my breathing and listened closely.

"The fire is out, Mr. Robinson, sir, but there were severe damages to many of your experiments, data, and papers. I'm sorry we couldn't have gotten here earlier to save more."

"It's quite all right, as long as my family is safe and no one was hurt. You did the best you could. Thank you very much, and thank your amazing crew as well."

"The house is ready when you like, Mr. Robinson. Tomorrow the glass roof should be all patched up."

The fireman's heavy footsteps shrunk away and I gradually opened my eyes, gathering the blue coat tightly around my shoulders. Looking up to the mansion, I saw that the top half of the observatory was open and that the glass had broken away. I scanned my family huddled together close by and talking, leaving me in peace. A few feet away, Morgan and Wilbur ran around, laughing like I had never existed. Like I had died in the fire.

"Come on, sweetie, you look freezing. How about we get some hot chocolate and get you inside?" Franny pulled me off the ground and I walked blindly up to the front door with her, only waiting for the warm air to reach me.

Asleep on my feet, I slumped onto the couch and clicked on the vid screen. Flashes of our house showed on the news in every angle. I groaned and clicked it off. Why did the name Robinson have to be so famous?

"Mom," I moaned helplessly. "Can you come here?"

"I'm coming, sweetie!" Franny bustled in, handing me a large cup of hot chocolate. I took it gratefully and licked at the tops of the mini-marshmallows. Warming my hands on the cup, I looked up at my mother with large, Bambi eyes.

"Mom, when you were a kid, did you ever feel left out when Uncle Art and Uncle Gaston played with each other?" I asked innocently, hinting at my own problems.

"Of course I did. Every kid feels that way some point in their lives. Why?" she said, at first oblivious, then realization dawned on her face. She sat herself next to me wrapped an arm around my shoulders comfortingly. "Oh, honey, are we ignoring you again? Oh, you've been so good this week and nothing's been broken… well, except your rooms, but that's all been fixed up now. I thought you were doing so well after you came home, but…"

"No, Mom, everything's fine with you and Dad," I said softly, pulling the soft quilt up to my neck. "Only…"

I considered telling her everything. What did I have to lose? I opened my mouth and simply sighed.

"I was just wondering because… uh… I was wondering about the guy who tried to erase me and Wilbur and take control of the world. Why exactly did you adopt him?"

Yeah, that didn't even relate to being left out. Luckily, my mother didn't even notice.

Franny simply smiled and ruffled my hair, making it messier than the terrible bed head it already was. "You've heard your father's stories about what it was like to be an orphan, haven't you?"

I nodded. _Only a million times.__ The first nine years of my childhood was pretty much the same. Just in a way better house._

"Michael was your father's roommate and went through the same thing as your father. He thought it was only right to adopt him. So now Michael has a bright future ahead of him. The reason he isn't here right now is because he plays for the Todayland Dinos. And that's why Morgan is here. Michael adopted her."

And so again, my life problems were traced back to the Bowler Hat Guy. I was still confused.

"So… then… Michael's my… adoptive brother. Morgan's his… adopted daughter… and that makes her my niece?"

I scrunched up my nose. This was way too confusing on only three hours of sleep. Franny laughed. "As Frankie would say, a-ring-a-ding-ding. You hit it right on the nose. You sure there's nothing else bothering you?"

I shook my head no. Nothing I could really trust her with anyways.

"Thanks, though, Mom," I forced a smile. I had to deal with this myself.

"No problem, Lela. Now get some rest. I think your father has a surprise for you later," Franny smiled and left the room.

No more surprises. Please. Fires, hated brothers, evil nieces, and destroyed rooms were enough for two days. I sipped the last bit of the hot chocolate, clapped my hands once to turn the soft music on, and rested my head on the down pillow. I could wait for my next surprise a little longer.

_I couldn't believe when I saw you_

_That it would get this bad_

_But I guessed when you saw her face_

_You just went mad_

_And now standing here with the ruins of my broken heart_

_I knew, oh I knew_

_I wouldn't have to go too far_

I flopped my head back and forth on the couch, gently waking myself up. I puffed out my cheeks and exhaled sharply. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes I knew that I had chosen the wrong song to fall asleep on. And one thing I knew for sure:

I hated dreams.

In the dream I just had a ring of fire was burning around Wilbur, Morgan, and I. Their taunts never ending. Their laughing ridiculing me over and over again. The fire's reach growing tighter and tighter - until my hand had felt the ferocity of the fire. Their voices still echoed in my head.

_Whiny brat._

_Never wanted._

_Spoiled._

_Manipulative._

_Not good enough to be a Robinson._

Shaking myself awake and out of this dream, I gritted my teeth and stood. It was time to get a little truth out of Morgan. And maybe an apology… or four.

* * *

"Oh, Mandy!" I skipped down the hallways thinking of ways to get her back for what she had done to me. I still wasn't really sure about what I would do with Wilbur. I mean, the day before I had screamed I hated him to his face, pretty much ruining my chances of becoming friends with him. But when Morgan was gone (I would make sure that happened) I would make everything better. Everything always turned out right for me…

Most of the time…

Well, if things continued to get better, I would get my way.

I slammed my fist on Morgan's door once, but heard Morgan's sugary sweet voice reply almost immediately.

"Go away!"

I pouted. Did she really think she was going to get rid of me that quickly? I mimicked her voice with an overly-kind with one of my own and said. "But I just want to talk! Please?"

The door opened a crack. I fake-smiled and cocked my head, "Can I come in?"

"No," was Morgan's blunt reply.

I crossed my arms. "Aw, come on, please? As I said, all I want to do is talk. It's not like I'm gonna hurt you or anything."

_Physically._

The door opened more. "Really?" she asked, an unbelieving look crossing her freckly face.

It took all of my self-control to stop myself from cringing, but I choked out a simple, "Yup," with my fingers crossed behind my back.

"That can wait, Lela. I've got something to show you. Or really, something to tell you." My fists clenched. I could have sworn my father turned up at the worst times.

"But Daddy…" I began to plead in my best helpless-little-girl voice.

"You're grounded, remember? And I can always lengthen the punishment _you gave yourself_. Now come on. Morgan deserves to live her life a little longer than today."

His smirk made me growl, but I followed in suit. He knew what was going to happen anyways. I was sure.

"Alright, whatever you say, Dad," I whined, turning my back on Morgan. The brother-stealer wouldn't get away again. The next time I would get her.

I followed him under the travel tube and found myself in – where else? – the observatory.

"So, Lela," Cornelius leaned down to my level, staring me in the eyes with those bright blues eyes of his, reminding me so much of the childish gleam Lewis always had in his eyes. "How would you like to take a trip back to Prestin Lake?"

My jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?"

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A/N: I really don't think Cornelius is very happy right now. Well, we'll see what he means in the next chapter. Please review!


	9. Sticky Fingers

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been updating in a while, my attention was on some of my other fics. In this chapter, I want to say thanks to Robin for the prank idea. :D And also thanks to Mi Mi, Chi, Robin, and Nausicaa of the Spirits for reviewing the last chapter!**

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I stood there, not truly sure if I had heard my father correctly. He crossed his arms. Was he threatening me? Was my own father, who was the one person I could actually trust in my family, actually saying this to my face if I didn't shape up? Sure, he had seen the crossed fingers behind my back when I had wanted to simply "talk" to Morgan. Was he just not sensing what I was feeling and just wanted to get the message through that he would do anything to stop me from getting back at Morgan in any way and retrieve the lost friendship with my brother?

"Are you – are you saying you'd send me back there?" I choked out in a strained, childish voice. I heard the high-pitch of my words ringing in my ears.

He laughed. I was standing there, unable to perceive what he meant, and he was _laughing_. I stomped my foot angrily and squealed in earnest.

"What is so funny about this, Daddy?"

"It's nothing, nothing, really. I just thought you'd like to visit your old school with me to retrieve the data that was lost in the fire. If you don't want to come, you're more than welcome to stay here…"

My face flushed red. He hadn't been threatening me at all. He had been inviting me back, not forcing me to go.

"Oh." I scrunched up my nose, faking confusion, and said happily, "Okay, I'll come."

_Anything to get away from this place._

"But why do we have to go to Prestin Lake? Can't the information just be brought up at your own lab?"

Cornelius shook his head. "It's completely lost. The papers burned in the fire and somehow it deleted on all of the computers at our office, too. We can't even bring it up on any of our computers there. And since I have to check on those Tech Teachers, I can pick up at copy of the report there."

"Okay. Will it be just you and me?" I asked eagerly, hoping he'd say yes, and he did so, smiling at my enjoyment.

"I thought you might like it," he nodded. "But I would like to know what's going on between Morgan, Wilbur, and yourself. I thought Morgan would become one of your friends, and Wilbur's always been there for you, but now it seems like you two have just grown apart. Is everything alright?"

My jaw locked again and I thought about whether I should tell him or not. I hadn't told my mother. There was no way possible I could tell Morgan or Wilbur unless I was screaming at them through tears. But what would I say to my father? I trusted him… didn't I? He would understand that the reason I was upset was that Wilbur had broken a promise to me that was made the last time I had seen his younger self… right?

Sure. Right.

_As if._

"Yeah, everything's fine, Daddy. I just have to get used to being back home. Just have to get back into the swing of things," I forced another gentle smile and wiggled my hand into his.

He looked doubtful of my answer. It was kind of obvious he wasn't going to believe me. I mean, I had already destroyed Morgan's room and broke a plate against her head. What more could I really do to her?

"Okay," he finally said, squeezing my hand for comfort. "But whenever you want to talk, I'm here, okay?"

I looked deep into his eyes and nodded.

_He knew. He knew…_

"When are we leaving for Prestin Lake?" I asked quickly, walking towards the silver doors slowly, hand in hand with my father.

"Tonight. You should maybe go pack a few things. We'll be there for a couple of nights and then we'll be back home. Does that sound good to you?" he asked, ruffling my hair. I gave a brief nod and a true, completely little-girl-style smile. It sounded perfect.

I slipped down the stairs to the silver door and skidded towards the travel tube that would take me to my room. Finally, I would get to spend some alone time with my father for the first time in a long time – three whole days worth. Pulling out my suitcase, I smiled uncontrollably. No Morgan… no Wilbur… just me and Dad. Perfect was an understatement.

I threw three pairs of jeans, shoes, several shirts and a jacket in my overnight bag. I also grabbed a few other "needed" items that I would give Wilbur and Morgan before I left. Smirking, I zipped it up and tugged the bag over my shoulder.

"Escaping, are we?" Carl had walked into the room, making me jump and swivel around. "Funny, because Morgan just tried to do the same."

I raised my eyebrows. She did, huh? That was odd. I would have thought she would want to stay here in the home she replaced me in. "And what did you do about it, Carl?" I asked innocently, turning to walk out the door.

"Oh, no, no, no! Don't try and distract me, little lady! What are you planning?" He jumped in my way and wagged a golden finger in my face. I tried my best to keep from laughing and I cocked my head. I brushed my hair out of my eyes, keeping a confused expression.

"What do you mean? Dad invited me to go back to PLA with him to get the information lost in the fire," I said, putting a hand on my hip. Carl looked slightly surprised for a moment then lowered his arm.

"Oh. Okay, then," he said resignedly.

I giggled. "But what were you saying about Morgan trying to run away?" My hand was still on the doorknob, but I wasn't leaving until I heard this news.

"Nothing, it's nothing. I handled it." Carl inched his way out of the room, but I caught him – I had one more question.

"Have you seen Lewis around recently?" I asked softly. I felt he was here, but I wasn't sure if I could trust that instinct anymore. That same instinct told me my brother missed me while I was gone. What a dud that was…

Carl frowned. "Your father is up –"

I cut him off. "I _know_ Dad is here, but what about Lewis?"

Carl stared at me, but then suddenly realized what I was saying. He sighed, knowing what I was thinking and what I wanted. He knew. He was the only one that did. Besides Wilbur, of course, but I didn't want to think about that. "I don't think he'll be visiting any time soon. Wilbur learned his lesson. I'm sorry."

I exhaled slowly and felt a small pout forming on my lips. "It's okay. Thanks, Carl. I'll see you when I get back."

He watched me go. "Bye, kiddo."

"That should do it," I whispered, throwing the empty tape holder aside, along with the pile of saran wrap packages, all shoved into a potted plant. I stood back, admiring my work. Morgan hadn't been in her room, so I had to make do with only Wilbur. It was even better, really, because I had more tape and saran wrap to use on the door. Grinning, I heaved the bag over my shoulder and looked back at Wilbur's "decorated" door one last time.

Tape and saran wrap were everywhere across the door. No human could walk across that barrier without getting something stuck in their hair. The saran wrap was a new, non-stick to _itself_ invention that was still in the works. I had snagged some from my father's lab. But that didn't mean it didn't stick to anything and everything else. I pulled a piece from my shirt and stuck it to the wall. I couldn't wait to hear Wilbur's scream. I backed away and turned.

"See you later, Wilbur," I muttered to myself. "Have fun getting all sticky while I'm gone."

I rushed up to my dad's lab, where he was nearly ready to go as well. When he heard me open the door, he looked up.

"Are you ready?"

I nodded excitedly and he laughed.

"Well, then, I won't keep you waiting. Come on, the hovercar's in the garage waiting," he said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me under the travel tube. After the whooshing air brought us into the garage, I sped over to the hovercar and leapt in. Eagerly awaiting this trip, I had forgotten about the "present" I had left at Wilbur's door.

One incredibly long yell echoed from three stories up. I froze, my smile barely hidden on my face, and watched my father's perplexed reaction.

"What in the world was that?" he wondered out loud, stopping in his tracks.

"Oh, I'm sure that Uncle Gaston launched himself into a wall again, or something like that," I said, trying to get my father to move. We had to go before my brother came down here, mummified in tape and ultra-improved saran wrap that 'hadn't left his lab.' I would be grounded before I could say, 'Morgan did it!'

"Okay, then," Cornelius sighed. "Let's go."

I laughed. I had gotten off without a single suspicion! Definitely one of the best tricks of my life.

The hovercar's engine 'hmmm-ed' softly as it started up. The garage door pulled open and we flew out into the open. I turned around to see Wilbur running out of the house, red in the face and entirely covered in tape and saran wrap. He looked like a plastic mummy – but an incredibly angry one at that.

"LELA!" I heard him yell. I only smirked, gave a half wave, and turned back around. He was going to kill me when I got back. But I had finally gotten his attention.

Finally.

"What did you say, Lela?" my father asked, looking at me.

"I didn't say anything, Daddy," I replied innocently and shot him a sweet smile. He grinned as well and ruffled my hair.

"Okay, then. Are you excited to be going back to your school?"

I nodded slightly, but said, "More excited to be going with you. Way more excited…"

I looked up at him eagerly, but he had already turned his attention back to the skyway. I swiveled my chair around to watch Wilbur, but he was being helped by my mother. I pushed myself back around, so I was again facing front, and sighed. My moment of joy was gone. I just had to enjoy my father's sole company while I could.

I had to make the best out of what was the worst to come.

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A/N: Hmmm, nothing to say here except please review!


	10. Need To Know

**A/N: I am so sorry this chapter: one) is so short and two) came so late. I've had serious writer's block on all my stories and I literally had to force myself to keep writing. But it's finished now. Yay! So, no owning. :D Thanks to Robin, CrazyCartoonGirl, Ember411, Chiho, and Nausicaa of the Spirits for reviews on the last chapter!**

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"Mr. Robinson, what a wonderful surprise!"

I froze right as I leapt out of the hovercar. No. Please. Anything but her. Anything…

"Thank you, Headmistress Carlisle."

I grimaced. Already, today was turning out like the rest of my life. _Terrible_. Let Morgan and Wilbur show up, let Bowler Hat Guy and Doris come back, and the world would officially be out to get me.

"You remember my daughter, Lela?" Cornelius motioned to me trying to make a run for it. I put a sickly sweet smile on my face and turned around. Carlisle forced a smile on her face – the only one she had ever given me – and nodded gracefully.

"Who could forget her? Lela was a wonderful student. We have missed her."

_I'm sure you have. Missed torturing me!_ I screamed inside my head, keeping the fake grin on my face, backing up ever so slowly towards the protection of my father. I was slowly edging him towards the research room of the school. Why had I agreed to do this?

To get away from Morgan and Wilbur, that's why. I gave up on shoving my father away from the evil human-like headmistress, and began to tug on his lab coat repeatedly. That made no more success than I had before.

I gave a short, aggravated breath, put on a pout and my best puppy dog eyes (having no sure practice in a while made me unsure of how good they were), and whined, "Daddy, I want to see the Tech Teachers. Didn't you say you had to look at them? And get the information that wouldn't come up on your computers, too."

The adults again realized I was there and stared at me blankly for a few moments. Carlisle spoke first.

"Oh, is that what you came here for? I was just on my way there!"

_Of course you were_.

"Why don't I walk with you? I know where everything is and you'll get your information ever faster. Come, come, right this way." Carlisle gave us no choice or time to respond and click-click-clicked her way down the hall in her high heeled shoes.

I had no choice but to follow my father down the smoothly paved corridors at the school I was supposed to never visit again. Sighing, I knew anything was better than meeting up with…

I turned a corner, but a flash of red caught my eye. Backtracking, the blur of red turned out to be hair. Guess, _just guess_ who that hair belonged to? I don't have to say. I don't want to say. But just making this day worse, there was no denying it. Morgan was here.

Who knew?

"Uh, Dad?" I called ahead of me, watching Morgan out of the corner of my eye disappear into a room just down the way. "I'm going to find the bathrooms, okay? I'll meet you in… where ever you're going to be. Okay? Okay, bye!"

I ran off, not even hearing his reply. That was okay. I was rid of Carlisle for now. All I had to worry about was Morgan. Skidding down the outdoor hallways, I saw another person that I was sure I knew. His dark red hair was brushed out, the bags under his eyes had disappeared, and he was walking with force right towards the door Morgan had gone into.

Larson. Why in the world was he here? I stopped in my tracks. Rethinking my actions, I scrambled behind one of the tall oak trees that covered the campus and watched the man walk right into the room where Morgan had disappeared.

Maybe Morgan came with Larson, or asked for a ride here. But why? And why had they both looked so serious? I began to inch out of my spot, my heart beating faster and faster with every step I took and every movement I made.

The door was only feet away. I reached my hand out to turn the brass handle, but it began to twist before I could touch it. I leapt back in shock and scurried back to my hiding place. Morgan backed out of the room, looking extremely harried and rushed up the hallway, right past me. I resisted the urge to stick my leg out and trip her. She gazed over her shoulder anxiously one last time and turned into another hallway.

I began to get up for a second time, but then fell to my knees the second I saw Larson emerge from the room three minutes later. He looked confused, but went down the hall, the opposite of Morgan's choice. Maybe they _hadn't_ come together. But what had happened in that room? I stood up, checking the corridor for safety and sped over to door. Here goes nothing…

I swung it open and stepped cautiously inside. Looking around, I saw that it was nothing special. It seemed like it hadn't seen used in a while, with only a few out of place desks scattered around the room and a blank videoboard connected to a flat screen computer, the power button glowing slightly. These were for the older students who needed more than just the Tech Teachers to grasp whatever subject they were learning. It told me nothing about what had just happened.

I stepped outside again, feeling defeated and mystified. I had to know what was going on here. Stomping my foot, I realized I soon had to go back to my father and Carlisle. Otherwise, they'd come after me, I'd be found snooping around, and we'd leave before I could figure out what Morgan and Larson were doing here, too.

And then I would be grounded. And that was never fun.

_Just ask Wilbur_.

I finally found the research building and slipped inside, past the front desk to a room where the door was only slightly ajar and voices were softly wafting out, my father's and Carlisle's snooty British tone. I slid over to the door and pushed it open.

"Hey, Dad, I—" Entering the room, my father casually placed the thin, grey Tech Teachers over his renown circle frame glasses. He never noticed me come in. I saw them flash once, twice, three times, and started up. I heard the annoying little voice from across the room in the glasses, slow and directive. It was practically like they wanted you to fall asleep while learning. I had, I knew, and at least five times. Each time I woke up, I felt like I knew _less_ than I had before even putting the glasses on.

The Tech Teacher beeped and my father clicked the black button on the side. I saw a reversed picture of the settings screen. My father sighed and powered down the Tech Teachers. He took them off carefully and placed them on the desk. His bright blue eyes held something else in them, however. They looked darker, but lighter at the same time. They looked confused, but knowing. They held opposites, secrets… something I had never seen before.

He blinked twice and everything was washed away. Just like that, the unfamiliarity in his eyes was gone. It had never happened. Had I been imagining that?

"Well, they work perfectly fine for me. You said they started working again when?" Cornelius asked, still not noticing I had come back into the room.

"About three weeks ago. But we collected them from all the students to ensure their safety." Carlisle forced another grin that surely was never meant to fit on her face.

They engaged each other in quiet conversation, so quiet that I couldn't hear from across the room. I tried to find a way to occupy myself, but found all my thoughts traced back to Morgan and Larson. I still wanted to know what was going on. And I wasn't going to give up. I still had a few days here after all. I had time.

I groaned out loud on accident when both Morgan and Larson passed the window on the far wall within a minute of each other, drawing unneeded attention to myself. Carlisle and my father both looked at me oddly. Biting my lip, I quickly dug my thumb nail into the side of my index fingernail and held up my hand for them to see.

"Broke a nail, sorry. Continue," I said, lowering my arm. Cornelius chuckled and turned back to Carlisle.

I slowly made my way to the door while their attention was, again, off me. I officially needed to know and I wasn't going to wait any longer:

What was going on?

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A/N: I wonder what is going on… :D Please review!


	11. Get Out

**A/N: Hey y'all! Thanks to Mi Mi for the idea for this chapter. It was definitely fun to write. You'll know what I mean when you get there. :D Thanks to Robin, Chi, Ember411, and Nausicaa of the Spirits for reviewing the last chapter! It really means a lot. :)**

**And now onto the chapter…**

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I pulled my hair into a low ponytail and made my way down the maze of hallways, desperately looking for Morgan. She had to be close. But she had to know I was here too, so there was no way I could catch her off guard. Maybe I could trap her in a room though…

Before planning my evil scheme, I had to find her. I snorted. Great, this was going to be fun. Well, the bright red hair would be easy to spot. I made my way around the grounds, only just remembering where everything was. There were over two hundred rooms in this school – half of them completely separated from the rest. I would be dead tired before I reached a fourth of them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone swiftly turn the corner, heading back the way I had come. I snapped my head back so fast it hurt, but saw that it wasn't Morgan. I sighed and continued looking.

The half-opened door ended all the questions in my head. I slipped in as quietly as I could and spotted Morgan peeking out the back window. I made my move, slamming the door shut. Morgan screamed and swiveled around, preparing to run. A wave of relief passed over her face when she saw it was me.

"Oh… oh, Lela, you scared me. I thought you were with Grandpa." Confusion twisted her face, but I didn't buy it.

"No, I saw you sneaking your way around the grounds," I replied bluntly and Morgan recoiled back into the corner even more.

"I wasn't d-doing anything _wrong_," she managed to stutter, smile faltering. I walked closer, cocking my head gently.

"No?"

The venom in my voice was laced delicately with mock kindness. Morgan shook her head violently and stood up straight, as if she suddenly remembered she was over three inches taller than I was.

"Then why are you so scared?" I kept going, relishing in this moment of total control before I lost it all again. Morgan hastily tucked her hair behind her ears and began to walk towards me. Her eyes sparkled with fury and her hands clenched tightly on either hip. My tongue ran along the bottom my teeth and I tried to keep myself from smiling. Here comes the explosion.

"Why wouldn't I be scared of a manipulative little brat like you?"

The joy slipped from my face, my nose scrunched, and my eyes narrowed. I wasn't going to stand here gawking while she insulted me. "Takes one to know one!" I shot back.

"Just because Wilbur likes me better does not mean _I'm_ the manipulative one."

"He does not like you better!" I growled. My cheeks were turning red in rage. I could feel my face burning up.

"And how do you know? You haven't talked to him at all in two full years, except for screaming 'I hate you,' in his face after I destroyed your room," Morgan giggled and rolled her eyes at me. I was sure my face was the same color as her hair.

"At least – at least I don't have some ugly scar on my forehead!" Yeah, that wasn't avoiding the topic _at all_. Morgan flinched and her hand rose up to her bangs self-consciously, but a twisted grin appeared on her face. My jaw dropped. I knew where this was going. And I knew I wasn't going to like it one bit.

"You used you though, didn't you?" Her voice was soft, slow, eerily quiet, but it sent terrible chills through my spine, horrible memories spiraling through my brain. She continued. "I know what you went through. You were pathetic. You had to hurt yourself to get attention from your own parents, your own family, your own brother. You were worth nothing to them. And then the one person who cared – really, truly cared – left."

"Wilbur was always there for me before." I hadn't noticed the tears running down my cheeks.

"He – he never left. Lewis – Lewis –" The tears came faster. "Lewis was always _here_."

Morgan's falsely sweet grin grew ever so slightly. She knew I didn't really believe that. Wilbur _had_ told all my secrets to her. I swallowed and knew I had to fight back somehow. She had brought back the terrible memories of my past, now I would recall hers. Or what little I knew of it, at least. I wiped the tears from my face roughly.

"Oh, please, don't give me that. At least I had a family," I interrupted. Morgan's jaw clenched. Looks like I hit a nerve.

"At least I had a place where I belonged," I continued, gathering courage. Slowly crossing my arms, I sighed. "I had someone who loved me my entire life. Maybe they didn't pay attention to me most of the time, but they were my family and loved me all the same. You had nothing."

"That's not true," Morgan said quickly. I ignored her.

"You are all alone."

"Stop," she pleaded bluntly.

"Your own _adoptive_ father isn't even here."

"Stop!" she cried out and I thought I saw tears appear in her eyes.

"Everyone will eventually abandon you, just like half the people in your life already have!" I yelled over her. Her eyes flashed, but something caught her gaze in the window. She stared for a few brief moments. For one horrifying second, I thought she was going to scream out, "Grandpa, Grandpa!" But she didn't.

Instead she began to scream. "Get out! I don't want to hear any of this, just get out!"

I jumped at the sudden noise, but scrambled out of the room with a grin on my face anyways. It always felt good to win. I skipped back to the research room where Carlisle and my father were still talking. I made sure my eyes weren't red or puffy from crying in. Something tugged at my heart. I glanced over my shoulder and again saw Larson heading the other way. What was he looking for now? I guessed Morgan had come with him. He seemed nice enough anyways.

"Back to the research room where I can again be bored out of my skull," I muttered to myself as I slipped back into the room. Unnoticed. Still.

"So we'll be seeing you soon?" Carlisle was saying, accompanying my father to the door. He nodded and straightened his jacket. I could have sworn his eyes still looked a little different, but I brushed it off. No need to worry myself anymore than I just had with Morgan. He always knew what to do.

"Wonderful. Goodbye!" Carlisle called behind us. Cornelius took my hand and we walked together out of the room.

"So… how'd it go?" I asked, gazing up at him. "I wasn't really paying attention," I added hastily when he looked in my direction oddly.

Cornelius replied, "It went fine. The Tech Teachers work perfectly. All the settings were programmed correctly. It was like they had never stopped working at all."

_Really?__ I wouldn't have known. Oh, wait. _Yes, _I would have. Because I went to the school! But you never bothered to ask me, did you?_ I bit my tongue to hold in my cynical retort. Instead, I replied, "What about the report that was lost in the fire?"

Cornelius chuckled and sighed. "I've still got two days here. I'll get the report tomorrow. We've had a long day and you look tired. Your eyes are all red."

I blinked quickly. Windows were not good mirrors. Smiling slightly, I said, "I'm not tired!" Hurt and angry, yes, but not tired.

"Fine. Whatever you say. But I still think we should go back to the hotel. I know you're going to like it." Defeated, I followed him to the hovercar and leapt in. Within five minutes, we were at the hotel.

I hadn't been to many places outside of Todayland and I knew there was a lot of stuff out there, but this… this was amazing. The hotel was gorgeous on the outside, with gleaming white marble, wood doors, and at least twenty stories high. Even craning my neck back, I couldn't see the top of the building. Sure, I had seen buildings taller than I could see before, but this was amazing.

After the hovercar had been parked, we walked inside, where soft cream colored carpets covered the floor and nearly ten chandeliers hung from the high ceilings. Leather seats and glass coffee tables were placed around the large lobby. My jaw was practically glued to the ground and, still in awe, I followed my father to the front desk. A young man in a nearly-too-small tux greeted us.

"Welcome to the Raynold-Marcus Hotel, how can we help you today, Dr. Robinson?"

"Hello. I have reservations for the penthouse suite?" my father answered and as the man checked in the computer, he looked down at me. "You'll like this, I know. You haven't been anywhere with me before, have you?"

I thought, but knew the answer immediately anyways. When would he have had time to take me anywhere before? No one noticed me anyways, so I had been left to find things to do on my own. It was definitely different now. I looked back up at him and shook my head no.

"Well, we can celebrate, then," Cornelius smiled and handed his briefcase to the bellhop. He led me over to the old-fashioned elevator (this hotel didn't have travel tubes) and I felt it move up, up, up, until the small, cramped room dinged and the doors opened again. I stepped out and looked down the never-ending hallways on either side of me. My father laughed behind me and led me down the left hallways, all the way to the end. The white door was old fashioned, at least a 2000's design, but had been renovated. My father pulled the key out of his pocket and passed it over the handle like it was a barcode scanner. The lock clicked and the door slowly opened.

I had to hold in an amazed scream. The place was gorgeous! The front room had a computer, a vidscreen, two couches, four chairs, and glass tables. The walls were painted a deep red and all the fabrics in the room were off-white. And this was just the front room.

I ran into the second room and the third, both of which had queen-sized beds, another vidscreen and chair, and mini-fridges. They each had their own bathroom and walk-in closets, too. I squealed in delight and leapt onto my self-proclaimed bed.

"So you like it?" my dad called from the first room. I squealed again in response and he laughed.

"Well, maybe I've bribed you enough," he continued, coming into my room. I sat up on the bed, confused. He pulled the chair nearer to me and sat in it.

"Tell me all about your little talk with Morgan. And I want the truth."

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A/N: Cornelius is way too smart for his own good. :D Please review!


	12. Out of Control

**A/N: ****So, ****so**** sorry for the wait, everyone, I still have writer's block on this story, so this isn't the best chapter, more of a filler than anything. Thanks to ****tinkerbellia****, Robin, Ember411, and M-H for review that last chapter. :) Please read and review!**

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I stared blankly for a few moments. What was I supposed to do? He had me completely cornered. I frantically searched my brain for an unused excuse that could possibly get me out of this trap. I bit my lip and smiled anxiously. He waited patiently, those searching blue eyes seemingly penetrating my thoughts.

And before I knew it, I had told him everything. I couldn't believe what I was saying. And after all I had sworn to myself to say nothing to my parents, my family, especially Wilbur or Morgan. But here I was, spilling my side of the story from the day I first got home to twenty minutes ago. Cornelius listened and nodded, but stayed quiet. I wanted him to talk, or do something other than stare at me. Yelling would have been better than his glare.

"So Morgan just screamed at me to get out. I mean, I kind of realized why. I left and came back to the room. You were just finishing up," I said, ending my story with another lame conclusion. He just nodded a last time and looked towards the window. I sent him a pained expression, wishing to get my punishment over with.

"Daddy?" I finally said, making my voice as pitiful as possible. "Are you mad at me?"

He laughed softly and looked back at me with a gleam I knew in his eyes too well. That 'I'm not mad, just disappointed in you,' look all kids hate getting from their parents. I received that look almost too frequently and was still not used to the guilt it brought. I watched him get up and walk slowly over to the window, swinging my leg nervously back and forth. Silence was murder.

"Lela…" he began softly, not taking his eyes off the window. "Oh, no, I'm not mad. I just wish you could speak your mind a bit more, instead of going behind our backs.

I gazed down at the ground. What was I supposed to say now? Okay? That would be a total lie, and we both knew that. My own rickety breathing was my only comfort. "I'll try," was all I could manage.

"That's all we ever ask of you."

His voice was so small and so soft, I didn't even know if that sentence had been a part of my imagination. My head swiftly turned in his direction, but even if he had said that, he showed no sign of it. He still faced the window, gazing at the orange sunset. He didn't look at me or make any move to show he even knew I was there.

The sinking feeling in my stomach grew. I fought the tears trying to flow down my cheeks.

"It's getting late," he finally said, breaking the silence. He turned his back on me. "Goodnight, Lela." He simply flipped the light switch and walked out of my room. I stared at the closed door for a few moments, then fell backwards onto my bed, burying my face into the soft pillow and cried.

"I want my life back… my I want my family back… I want Wilbur back…!"

Somehow, that was how I fell asleep that night. Somehow, some way, that seemed to be the easiest on me.

I woke up in the hovercar. Almost immediately, I knew something was wrong. I blinked furiously, writhing in the backseat. I heard laughter in front of me and I screamed.

"Shh, shh, calm down, Miss Lela, no need to get worked up about anything," a man said from the front with a smile in his voice. "You just looked so peaceful sleeping, so we decided not to wake you. I'm sorry that we scared you."

He didn't seem too sorry. I nodded and sat up. "That's fine, I wasn't scared," I said defensively. A knowing grin appeared across his face, but he didn't reply.

"What are you doing in Seattle, Mr. Larson?"

"Nothing special," he easily avoided my question, "but I knew your father had come here as well."

I sighed, using the shiny metal decorations inside the time machine as my mirror. My hair was still slicked back in the ponytail from yesterday and my eyes showed no sign of my tears from last night. I wondered if my dad had heard me.

Probably not.

"So, Dad, you just have to get the report today, right? How long is that gonna take?" I asked a little too curiously.

"And what makes you so interested all of a sudden? Homesick?" Cornelius replied, hiding another laugh with a slight cough.

"Not exactly," I muttered in response, rubbing the nape of my neck sheepishly. I wanted to know how much time I had to find Morgan again. I wondered exactly where she had stayed for the night, or even if she was still at PLA. The idea she had already left struck me with force. If she told my mother what I had done…

If she told Franny, Morgan would get in trouble too for sneaking off and running away – like Carl had said she'd tried to do before we left. I guess she had made it around him after all.

PLA came into view and inwardly I shuddered. Now that I wasn't alone with my father (and that he was mad at me as well) this place was exactly like home. I was nothing.

I slipped out of the hovercar to search the grounds and look for Morgan again. I didn't even care if my father had or hadn't noticed me gone. Nothing really mattered anymore.

Only within a few minutes I had found her, merely two rooms down from where the report was printing out. Slightly relieved that I didn't have to search the entire school, I scurried into the room after Morgan.

"Hey, Candy!" I sing-songed mockingly. She didn't respond.

"Morgan? Hellooo? Anything in there?" I began to walk up to her and was about to tap her on the shoulder when—

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone? Didn't I tell you to just leave this place?"

I sat myself on one of the desks to watch exactly what Morgan was doing. Papers were spread out even on two of the desks, along with a notepad and a set of keys.

"I did leave. But I came back, too," I giggled, but was cut off by Morgan.

"You have to leave PLA. Get your father and leave by any means necessary. Pull another stunt, break something, I don't care, just get out."

I stared at her blankly. "Why?"

Morgan sighed. "I'm not gonna explain it to _you_," she said with disgust.

I growled and leapt off the desk. What was I, stupid?

"Why do you hate me so much?" I asked, the worlds coming out more pathetically than I had intended. Morgan didn't raise her gaze from the papers splayed out before her.

"Because."

"You are so impossible, you know that? What is your problem with me?"

"I could say the same to you," she replied absentmindedly.

"Yeah, sure, you could, but I actually have a decent reason! You stole my brother!"

Morgan suddenly stood, her face bright red. The scrape along her jaw I had given her at dinner before stood out against her skin. I had only just noticed it was there.

"Just listen to me. Not everything is always going to go _your way_. Life isn't always going to be fair. People win and people lose, they make mistakes! I'm trying to figure out a huge one right now so just _shut up_ and leave me alone!"

I blanched. I hated these lectures, these 'nothing is perfect, so get over it' speeches. They made me sick. I didn't care I _wanted_ perfection, I _needed_ perfection. Struggling to keep my voice moderately calm, I responded, "Fine. Be that way. I guess Daddy will just have to know you're here…" I waited for the reaction.

None came. I pranced towards the door, trying to show her I was serious, but also figuring out how to get a response. "And Mr. Larson's with him, too," I shot blindly.

Morgan spun around wildly, red hair whipping at her face. "He's _still_ here? Where is he?"

I froze with my hand on the doorknob, smirking. Finally.

"Two doors down with Dad, printing out the report—"

"_What_?" she shrieked, shoving herself up off the chair, and scrambled towards the door. I raced to swing open the door and run before she had the chance to reach Cornelius.

Reaching their room within a matter of seconds, I banged the door open and started to run in. But something caught me in the stomach, digging deep into my side painfully—and shocked me. At first, I hadn't realized exactly what had happened; I only saw my dad and Mr. Larson waiting for the entire report to print out. I was just about to announce Morgan's arrival when I felt the searing pain rip through me.

My scream broke at least three windows. It was heard across the entire school, I was sure. Morgan stood there behind me, gaping just outside threshold. I collapsed onto the ground, gasping unevenly, cradling my injured stomach.

"L-Lela?" Morgan barely whispered, ducking under the laser that had blocked off unsuspecting intruders from entering. I flinched roughly when her hand rested on my shoulder.

"Shh, shh…" Cornelius whispered comfortingly into my ear. I heard the slim trace of worry. Morgan's hand slipped from my shoulder and Cornelius pulled me closer to him.

"Lela, I thought you were inside. Just breathe deeply for a little bit, those shock locks hurt."

I rested my head against his chest, sighing softly. My breath was still raggedy.

"Morgan?" I heard him say suddenly. "What in the world—?"

"It's a long story, Grandpa," she said innocently. I couldn't help the sharp breath that escaped my lips as laughter. "But I think Lela needs to get home."

The small smile slipped from my face. Was she taking advantage of my pain to get out of punishment? I wouldn't dare let that happen, hurt or not.

"Arthur, do you think you could wait for the report and bring it back home?" Cornelius said, gently helping me to my feet. My side still throbbed, but I let myself be led along.

"No!" Morgan called out suddenly with a tinge of earnest in her voice. "I'll get it."

"No, _you _will be coming home with us," Cornelius admonished and Morgan fell silent. Morgan gave an anxious look towards the printer but slipped out the door ahead of us.

I lay curled up on one side of the hovercar, thinking desperately about why Morgan had put up such a fight when Larson was put in charge of the report. She sat in the seat next to me, bouncing her leg nervously. Her arm was propped up on the window, and she gazed out with a blank stare.

My dad just drove. I knew he was thinking hard, but something else seemed very different… very wrong.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip. I felt so out of control right now.

I had no idea what to do.

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**A/N: See what I mean by sort of a filler chapter? Oh well, I know what I'm going to do for the rest of the story, I just have to write it out and some of it is already written anyways, like the climax and the last scene. If you would be so kind, please review!**


	13. One Last Hope

**A/N: I'm really eager to get this story finished. I love the ending. :) Thanks to Robin, M-H-chan, and DV-Corp for reviewing on the last chapter!**

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"Come on, Lela, we're home. Up, up."

My father's voice broke through my dreamless sleep and I opened my eyes, blinking wearily. I shifted myself out of the position I had managed to squeeze into on the ride home. Morgan was warily looking over Cornelius' shoulder as I winced from the soreness of my stomach.

"Why was that stupid lock _on_, anyways?" I moaned, bending forward. The effects hadn't worn off yet and I felt like I was going to throw up.

"I'm not sure. I guess because the documents are classified, Arthur wanted to make sure the room was safe. I thought you had come in after me, Lela," he sighed, getting me down on the ground.

"Obviously not," I snapped under my breath.

"Morgan, can you bring Lela back up to the house please? In a few minutes, the shock should wear off, but come and get me if it worsens, okay?"

"Got it," Morgan replied and took me gently by the arm, leading me up the walkway. Ignoring the requests of Dmitri and Spike, she pressed a doorbell at random. Lefty swiftly opened the door and let us in. For once, I was grateful for no questions being asked.

I straightened up slightly and felt nearly cured again, but saw Morgan staring at me harshly.

"What?" I said. "I'll… leave if you want me to…" I backed up slowly, but she shook her head.

"I… Ineedyourhelp," she said quickly, darting her gaze to the ground.

And now, looking back on how I responded, I'm not too proud of it. I didn't know how serious the situation had already become. But I'll admit it… I started to laugh.

"You honestly can't be serious," I choked out after I had composed myself again.

"I'm dead serious!" Morgan stomped her foot. "And you're the only one nosy enough to get the job done."

"Thanks for that compliment," I said sarcastically, placing a hand to my heart, "but I'm gonna have to pass."

Morgan growled under her breath, but without another word, turned on her heel and walked away. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Wasn't it nice to be home?

I couldn't help but wonder what Morgan had needed my help for. She had seemed to tense and so serious.

I didn't bother thinking about that now. There had to be something in this house to do besides mope. I could always find a new room I had never discovered everyone once in a while. Those rooms always held my attention for days on end.

If only I could find one now.

There was a deafening crash downstairs and I heard my mother yell, "_Wilbur!_"

Laughing softly to myself, I thought wryly, '_What a surprise_.'

Below me was the chargeball room. From all the noise reaching my ears, it sounded like Wilbur had broken through the wall… again.

Spirits raised, I skipped to the nearest travel tube, unsure of where exactly it would take me.

I ended up in an all-white room with several desks and chairs, all cluttered with stacks of papers, pens, pencils, printers, and small piles of scrap metal. Where was this?

"Yes, yes, of course. No, the garage is unlocked, I just changed the code. The time machines are ready to go. No one has a clue. And the information from Robinson?"

I froze in my tracks. Larson. My heart beat rapidly and I knew right then and there something was going on. He was talking on the phone, thankfully not noticing me yet, with his back turned.

"Good, the Tech Teachers did their job then. Tonight, everything will be settled. Tonight the world will be ours."

I nearly choked at those words. _What the heck could be on this guy's mind?_ My hands would no longer stop shaking. A pang of shock overcame me. This is what Morgan had wanted me to help her with all along. This was why Morgan had snuck to PLA. Oh… my…

We were in so much trouble. Life-threatening trouble, if I had interpreted this all correctly.

And right now, I was the only who knew. I had to tell my father, my mother, even _Morgan_. I had to let someone know.

"Hey! _What_ are _you_ doing in here?!"

My eyes widened. I had been distracted by my own thoughts to notice the phone call had ended. I was a deer in the headlights, about to get run over by a very scary truck.

I did the only thing that came to mind. I screamed and ran back under the travel tube.

I had to change to the destination point, for all of them however, when I got out. Finding myself in the garage, I found the control panel for the tubes and completely destroyed it. Little buttons few everywhere and with a satisfied sigh, I high-tailed it out of there.

_Dad._

"Daddy! Dad! I need your help!" I screamed while running through the hallways. I ran yelling all the way up to the Observatory only to find him walking down the steps.

"Dad, Mr. Larson's going to steal the time machines and take over the world!" I managed to say after catching my breath, tugging on his hand.

He laughed. He actually laughed.

_So this is what Morgan felt like just a few moments ago,_ I thought regretfully. _Why couldn't have just listened to her then?_

"Please, Daddy, I'm serious! He's going to try and take over the world; I just heard him!" I squealed, vainly trying to tug him down the staircase with me.

"No, Lela, just calm down. Mr. Larson isn't going to steal the time machines for a few reasons. One, he's still in Seattle, remember? And he said he would be staying there for the next few days. Two, the time machines are locked safely in the garage. They're safe. It's okay. Don't worry."

I whimpered, fleeing down the stairs. If he wasn't going to believe me, neither were any of the other adults in my family. There was no way I was going to Wilbur; he would probably mess things up more.

That meant I had only one last hope.

Morgan.

Reluctantly I found myself in front of her room. Not bothering to knock, I marched inside.

"What did you need my help with earlier?" I asked gruffly. She looked up at me, surprised.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, laying her guitar across her lap. Her eyes seemed unusually bright and her tone of voice sort of… _too_ happy.

"When you asked me to help you earlier and I started laughing… what did you want me to help you with? Because I'll help now," I said, only to get a blank face as a response.

"I never asked you that. Why I would ask _you_ anyways it beyond me."

I stared at her, shocked. She _had _to be joking. She just had to be. But Morgan wasn't that good of a liar and she had seemed so desperate earlier. She would have pounced on my help now if she had needed it that much before.

"What are you still doing here? I never let you have unlimited permission in my room."

I scowled at her and said bitterly, "Fine." I turned on my heel, away from Morgan, and brushed out the door. I had to do something. I had to make this all right. "I'll go save the world myself."

Sprinting as fast as my legs could take me, I made it to the garage. Remembering what Larson said, I used a voice code to get in and changed all of the lock combinations for the entire house. I couldn't risk anything.

Leaping into the hovercar, I pressed a few buttons to get it started.

"Ah, auto-pilot would be nice. I don't want to crash this thing… ahem, again."

The hovercar had exited the garage and had taken off the ground about forty feet when the radio came on, crackling and static-y for a few moments, but the dead serious voice I heard loud and clear.

"If you even try to change what we're doing, Miss Lela, I will personally make sure you see your family go before you."

I stared agape at the radio system which effortlessly clicked off right after the message-slash-death-threats.

Lovely.

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**A/N: I think this story will have 17 or 18 chapters, I'm not sure yet. Anyways, please review!**


	14. Harsher Details

**A/N: I know it's been three months, trust me, I know. But inspiration hit me last night and I finished it up in about three hours. :) I don't own anything except my OCs, Morgan belongs to Mi Mi, and -bad imitation of the Joker- here… we… go!**

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In was in those terrifying next few minutes that an idea struck me. I had no idea where I was going. That horrid sinking feeling overcame me. Where was I supposed to go?

No one was going to believe me. Yeah, maybe my family name was famous, but who was going to take the words of little Lela Robinson to heart, right after she had been sent off to boarding school for pulling yet another prank?

Prestin Lake. That was it! I could go down there and get anything I needed. All the information would be down there and I knew that place like the back of my hand…

…Sort of. Okay, so it wasn't one of my best plans. One of my worst, probably. But it was my only choice! It was all I could do… and I had to do something. To save my family. To save myself.

To save the world.

All I could think was this was _so_ not going to turn out well.

I watched the cities and towns underneath pass by, oblivious to the plans of a wacko scientist and the eleven-year-old who was trying to stop him. The eleven-year-old who lost the support of her family. My brother. My father. My mother. I had an adoptive brother who I had never met, expect for the fact that he had tried to kill me and my brother and destroy the future… but that wasn't really what I wanted to think about right now. And my adoptive niece, who probably hated my guts more than I hated her. She was the one who made this all happen. It had been _her fault_ my life had gone down the drain.

And just when I had asked her to help me fix it, she had played it clueless.

I was on my own.

"Destination reached," the woman's computerized voice said over the loud speaker, interrupting my pity-daymare. The hovercar landed gently outside of PLA. Almost immediately I scrambled for the Invisi-Shield, not wanting to be seen by anyone. Media would be stampeding for pictures if I was caught disobeying again. Life had been too hectic already.

Luckily, the hovercar's autopilot had parked me directly in the view of the Research Room. I skittered across the grass, wishing I could have thought to bring the new ring that could make a person completely vanish from view… but then I remembered that invention still had a few kinks to work out. Like how to become visible again.

Lying low would have do for now.

I sighed wistfully, and made my way toward the lab. A chill went up my spine. I felt like some sort of super spy getting top secret information for base. I had to infiltrate, steal, and get out without my identity being blown. I suddenly remembered an old movie that had been a remake when my dad was a kid. I was Agent 99, and… well, I guess I didn't really need an Agent 86 to mess up what I was doing.

_Anyway!_ I was getting sidetracked. All I needed to do was get into the Research Room, snag the info, figure out what was wrong… and, um, save the world in the process. Great. I think this was why superheroes who saved the world consisted of strong, brave men in their late twenties - not little eleven-year-olds who still had an 8:30 bedtime.

I peered into the window of the Research Room, praying that no one was in there. But, of course, the shades were down and I couldn't see a thing. I was just going to have to risk it. I reached over and shook the handle, testing to see if it was locked. Yup.

Grinning, I tugged a bobby pin from my bangs, opened it, and began to pick the lock. I loved that even my father's technology could be stopped by such a simple, old-fashioned object. It was like he _wanted_ me to break into places and get in trouble or something.

_Click_. I was in. I kicked it open with my foot and stepped inside casually. But what I saw wasn't what I was expecting.

"Hello, Miss Robinson. I've been waiting for you to show up. You were about to miss my big show. Arthur, if you would…"

Two hands gripped my arms from behind and locked them behind me as I struggled to break free. Holding the exact pair of Tech Teachers my father had tried on not even twenty-four hours ago, Headmistress Carlisle plugged them into one of the larger computers. I gaped, kicking and screaming as Mr. Larson dragged me forcefully over to one of the chairs.

"You!" I cried, smacking Larson in the throat, but staring directly at Carlisle. Larson's grip did not loosen. "It was you all along!"

"Very observant, my dear," she drawled. Larson threw me forcefully back into a wooden chair, tying me down immediately. "If only you had figured it out earlier… Larson nearly gave me away. But I just used him as my scapegoat and led you on."

So… it had never been Larson. All my suspicions… gone.

"But, then, why is he here? Why is he a part in this if you were the one who was behind it the whole time?"

Carlisle clicked her tongue. "You don't know? Really? I guess you aren't as smart as we thought. But… I'll tell you. You'll be dead soon anyway, so it won't matter."

Ice rammed its way into my chest. They were going to kill me. _Kill me_. Why the heck hadn't I thought of something like this happening before? Someone was going to try and take over the world, and all I thought about was getting some stupid information to help me?! I didn't even think to bring any of my father's inventions to help me at all!

"Don't you remember that paper you found digging around in your father's lab?" Carlisle asked bitterly, completely ignoring the fact that I was seconds away from hyperventilation. "The robotics test paper. Arthur was the head of the robotics lab until his final experiment blew up and Robinson gave him another job. But no. It wasn't enough. The damage from the last explosion had been too much - and he found me and came to me for help."

_ABORT ALL EXPERIMENTS, WILL RECEIVE HELP_

The smile on Carlisle's face grew when she saw the realization on my face. "Yes, yes. I fixed him all right. But, I knew I needed someone to help me get those stupid time machines. So I gave him a little something extra - a chip that let me control him. It was only lucky he was appointed the head of the Time Management right after I helped him. And I knew it would all turn out perfectly after that."

So Mr. Larson was just a pawn in this all. He had no say over anything… he probably didn't even know what was going on. It was Dor-15 and Bowler Hat Guy all over again. I silently begged for, this time, it not to turn out with _any_ new relatives.

"Then what did I hear back in Todayland?" I demanded, and Carlisle merely chuckled. Why would Larson say such things if he had nothing to do with this?

"Just something to delay you, sweetie. A little electronic setup made _just_ for you. Only you could enter, only you could get out. Wouldn't it just be stupid to tell you that outright? We needed you here because you were the only one who could stop us. Weren't you wondering why Larson didn't chase you outside? It certainly would have been easy enough…"

I stopped, sinking farther back into the chair. Horror sunk deeper into my stomach because she was right. Who would be clueless enough to drop all those hints (like 'tonight, the world will be ours') and not expect to be followed?

"How was I the only one able to stop you? Morgan had you more figured out than I did!" Which was totally true. It was why she was at Prestin, why she sounded so desperate, why she had wanted to my help… I wondered then if she knew I was supposedly the only one who could stop them.

"You were, for some reason, impervious to the Tech Teachers when you went to school here. It was _why_ you were sent to this school. I myself made sure that you would be transferred _here_ - you just made it easier on me by getting expelled. I wanted the time travel secrets for myself. But you had to go and… ruin the fun! The Tech Teachers did nothing to you, so I had to pull out Plan B - get it from Cornelius Robinson himself. Larson set up that little explosion and fire in his lab. You _weren't _supposed to survive."

I stared at her, wide-eyed. Everything now made sense. Why Tech Teachers never seemed to teach me anything in the first place, why it had made no sense when Dad was pulled out to go and fix the 'broken' Tech Teachers which I knew had never been broken in the first place, why the fire had happened so suddenly, why I was the last one out, why none of the documents could be restored…

My dad would had to have come here to get the papers and 'fix' the Tech Teachers. It was all a big trap.

"And little _Candy_," she continued distastefully, "may have realized what was happened, but right before you left for your house, I ordered Arthur to erase her memory. Tech Teachers will do the job every time. She obviously wasn't resistant to the effects." That horrible grin paralyzed me for another good five minutes. That explained why Morgan had brushed me off so easily before I left.

"So you will sit here and watch your world come crashing down around you."

And that was that.

I watched the monitors download every time machine measurement, material, and all of the information needed. Carlisle really was going to go through with this. At least I had changed the codes to the garage, so they would have to construct a time machine.

But that only gave me about one extra day, thanks to all the technology they had stored away here. Only one extra day to live. This was _not_ making me feel any better. At all. I whimpered softly and looked down at the rope around my waist, and at the other fours pieces, tying my hands and legs to the arms and feet of the chair.

You know people say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes, right? That's exactly what happened to me right then. But because I was eleven and all, it didn't take very long. I saw my parents. I saw Wilbur. I saw my whole family. I saw Lewis. School. Stunts. The times machines. Morgan.

I wouldn't get to say goodbye to anyone.

It was then that I started thinking about the harsher details. When would they find me? How would they react? Would they even react? if the world had already been taken over, who was to say that they weren't going to be controlled like some mindless zombies? My stomach lurched uneasily. I didn't need to know. I was going to take what the future gave me head on and there would be no stopping me.

For now, I would have to let the future surprise me.

Something moved at the window between the shades, snapping me out of my shock. A flash of black. A flash of red. Casting my gaze briefly over to Larson and Carlisle, I noticed they were way too busy to know what I was doing. I leaned forward in the chair as far as I could and looked through the small crack in the window. My heart caught in my throat as Morgan gently pressed a finger to her lips and I could have sworn Wilbur smiled encouragingly. I barely made out what he mouthed to me.

"Just wait. We're gonna help." The relief rushed through me and I settled back into the chair.

Just in time, I had my life back.

…Unless Carlisle took it first.

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**A/N: If you caught the 'Get Smart' and 'Incredibles' references in there, you get a cookie! And if you review, you get an extra cookie! (Wow, that sounds lame…) Anyways, please review!**


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